Wellness Supports Social Worker

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has a term length of 1 year plus a day, and offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page .

Location- This role is in-person. Work primarily takes place at North Campus Edmonton.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Working for the Department

We want to welcome you into a caring workplace culture, one that endeavors to support your growth and learning within the campus community. As part of the Office of the Dean of Students, the Wellness Supports team engages people on campus by strengthening individual and community mental health and wellbeing, providing support, connection, education and choice.

The team strives to provide holistic, inclusive, and equitable support, including:

• Free mental health skills training for students and staff
• Collaborative initiatives that challenge stigma around wellness, provide information, engage in discussion that encourages action
• Individual support to bridge gaps and connect students with resources that provide students with ongoing mental health support and referrals to other mental health resources
• Facilitated peer-to-peer and community connections 
• Volunteer and outreach opportunities
• Health and wellness activity funding 
• Wellness information, research, events and activities
• Strengthen and support campus communities and members to identify potential challenges and opportunities together.

In this part-time position you will work with our Wellness Supports 1:1 Social Workers out of one of our offices in the U of A’s Students’ Union Building.

We strongly encourage individuals from equity deserving group(s) and intersecting identities to apply.

Position 

Wellness Supports is committed to advocating and supporting the wellbeing of our campus community - students, staff, and faculty. Our program activities, services, and initiatives are designed to contribute to a culture of wellness at the University of Alberta whereby members of the campus community work together to prioritize wellness in campus policies, practices, and programming. The unit has three primary functions that include offering 1:1 student support, training and capacity building around topics of mental health, and implementing programming and events that enhance wellness on our campus.     

Reporting to the Social Worker Team Lead, the Social Worker is an integral member of the Wellness Supports team.  The Social Worker uses a case management approach to provide those U of A students dealing with mental health concerns and other complex challenges with rapid access to an initial assessment and navigation to appropriate resources, regardless of their severity. Core responsibilities of this position include early identification of students who are struggling, ensuring timely access to appropriate supports as required, and improving the continuity of care received via the university and greater community social and mental health system. The Social Worker works with an interdisciplinary team including but not limited to campus staff, faculty, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, intake nurses, pharmacists, and family physicians.

Duties 

• Provide in-person and telehealth/virtual intake appointments to students with a variety of needs and priorities
• Collaborate with Wellness Supports team members, campus and community partners to identify needs related to student mental health or broad mental health initiatives
• Conducting service provision using the social work professional scope of practice including psychosocial interventions
• Following an interdisciplinary care model that incorporates collaborative care between Health and Wellness Services team members and community stakeholders such as psychiatrists, psychologists, University Health Center family physicians, Residence Services, International Students Center, Helping Individuals at Risk, and greater community support; occasionally delivering presentations or trainings to members of campus community
• Create and deliver educational, collaborative, or consultative services (including presentations or trainings) related to student mental health or broad mental health initiatives
• Maintaining records in accordance with appropriate legislation, university policies, and Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) guidelines
• Contributing to campus education and awareness of the Wellness Supports Team and greater Office of the Dean of Students services through presentations and information sharing opportunities
• Upholding strong partnerships and positive working relationships with all relevant campus and greater community services to maintain direct, seamless connections to all suitable resources
• Depending on the candidate, we are excited for the opportunity to develop specific services to support students with intersecting identities. Examples might include a trans candidate facilitating a supportive drop in group for gender transition support, or a candidate fluent in Mandarin or another second language, working closely with campus partners to connect and support international students. These opportunities would be tailored to match the right candidate and their areas of passion or interest

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor of Social Work Degree is required, with consideration given to lived experience and work experience
• Proven experience and/or expertise in the areas of community social work, crisis intervention, prevention work, supportive counselling/advising, and interdisciplinary team navigation
• Member in good standing with the Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW)
• 3 to 5 years of applicable social work experience and/or outreach experience in a fast-paced change-oriented environment or at an adult/post-secondary institution
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with proven ability to establish trusting relationships
• Strong relationship building skills
• Excellent communication skills (verbal and written)
• Experience with mental health supports, suicide prevention, and community building are crucial
• Experience in supporting diverse communities and populations
• Experience providing crisis and short-term counseling support, information and referrals
• Ability to work with confidential information in a professional and sensitive manner
• Ability to work independently and cohesively within a multidisciplinary team environment
• Ability to appreciate the complexity of mental health, mental health stigma, and support-seeking behaviour from an intersectional lens that is trauma-informed and culturally humble 

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to communicate in a second language an asset
• Experience, and additional specialized training, working with diverse and equity seeking groups like Indigenous peoples, racialized minorities, LGBTQ2S folks, people with disabilities, and newcomers and/or International students
• Knowledge of university and community supports and resources an asset
• Understanding of the post-secondary environment and experience
• Comfort working with technology like Microsoft Office and Google Apps, and Electronic Management systems for documentation 

At the University of Alberta, we are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates. If you require accommodations to participate in the interview process, please let us know at the time of booking your interview and we will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.